Earth ChangesS


Seismograph

Shallow magnitude 7.4 and 6.4 earthquakes south of Chile and Argentina, tsunami warning issued

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A 7.4 earthquake struck the Drake Passage, located between Cape Horn and Antarctica, at a depth of just 10 km (6 miles) on Friday, according to the United States Geological Survey. The quake triggered a tsunami warning, prompting Chile's National Disaster Prevention and Response Service to issue evacuation orders for coastal areas in the Magallanes region, located at the southern tip of the country.

Chile's President Gabriel Boric took to social media to urge evacuations, stating that all state resources would be mobilised to respond to the situation. Videos shared on social media showed residents calmly evacuating as sirens sounded in the background.


Comment: A mag. 6.4 quake also struck the same area about 5 hours later:
6.4 magnitude earthquake 288 km from Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

UTC time: Friday, May 02, 2025 17:59 PM
Your time: Friday 2 May 2025 at 18:59 BST
Magnitude Type: mww
USGS page: M 6.4 - 288 km SSE of Ushuaia, Argentina
USGS status: Reviewed by a seismologist
Reports from the public: 0 people



Snowflake

Up to 6 inches of fresh snow blankets Colorado ski resorts on first day of May

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© Loveland Ski Area
Spring has officially spring, but a handful of still-open ski resorts in Colorado are waking up to fresh snowfall on the first day of May 2025.

Take a look at the 24-hour snowfall totals for the five ski resorts still open in the Centennial State. All snowfall totals obtained from each ski area's website on the morning of May 1, 2025.

Colorado Snowfall Totals, May 1, 2025:

Arapahoe Basin Ski Area: 5"
Breckenridge: 3"
Copper Mountain: 3"
Loveland Ski Area: 6"
Winter Park: 6"

Three to six inches of new snow probably isn't enough to completely refresh ski resorts, but a little bit of soft snow on the first day of May certainly won't upset skiers. The immediate forecast is looking even more promising.


Snowflake

Late-spring blizzard hits Moscow region, toppling trees and causing power outages - up to 6 inches of snowfall

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© Social media
Blizzards blanketed Moscow in snow on Friday in a historic first for the season, toppling trees onto cars and causing power outages for tens of thousands of residents in the wider region.

The snowfall marks the first time that Moscow's base weather station has recorded snow cover on May 2 in its 75 years of operations, said Mikhail Leus from the Phobos weather center.

The station at the VDNKh exhibition center measured 7 centimeters of snow, while some parts of the Moscow region saw up to 15 centimeters of snow.

Toppled trees damaged cars and downed power lines on roads, railways and parking lots. At least 26,000 residents experienced power outages overnight as emergency crews raced to restore electricity, Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov said.


Hardhat

'DVD-sized hail' reported in the Texas Panhandle, meteorologist says

Spikey severe hail.
© Mike Hollingshead/Getty ImagesSpikey severe hail.
As severe weather season continues its wrath through Texas, one area in particular saw a rare moment for Mother Nature Tuesday afternoon. According to Matthew Cappucci, a meteorologist with MyRadar Weather, reported seeing 'DVD-sized hail' in the Texas Panhandle.

"Giant DVD hail southeast of Guthrie, TX," Cappucci wrote.

The National Weather Service forecast for Tuesday, April 29, indicated that severe thunderstorms were possible in areas of the southeast Texas Panhandle. Guthrie is located near Lubbock. The NWS also said that quarter-sized hail was expected with the storms. However, images shared by Cappucci showed hail sizes exceeding 4 inches. According to the NWS, hail that is DVD-sized can range from 4 to 5 inches in diameter.


Tsunami

Christchurch in New Zealand declares state of emergency amid torrential rain and widespread flooding - 6 inches of rainfall in 24 hours

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The Selwyn District and Banks Peninsula are also under a local state of emergency. In Selwyn Huts, residents were told to self-evacuate or risk being cut off. Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell travelled to Canterbury to assess the situation.

Floodwaters have submerged roads across Christchurch. In the city's southern parts, streets like Cashmere Road, Henderson Road, Summit Road, and Eastern Terrace are either fully or partially closed. Northern areas also faced major disruptions, with Avondale Road, Fitzgerald Avenue, and sections of New Brighton Road underwater.

Banks Peninsula roads have been badly hit. SH75 from Tai Tapu to Akaroa remains closed. Other closures include Gebbies Pass Road, Le Bons Bay Road, Millers Road, and several bay routes. Slips and fallen trees have made access dangerous or impossible.

Authorities have urged people to avoid non-essential travel. If driving is necessary, residents are advised to go slowly and avoid flooded roads.


Comment: Star News reports:
[...]

Meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane says it has been a wet night in eastern parts of the South Island, especially Canterbury, and for parts of the North Island.

The Canterbury region has already had 100 millimetres to 150mm of rainfall over the last 24 hours with more to come, she says.

[...]



Tsunami

2 dead as slow-moving storms flood roads across Oklahoma and Texas

This photo provided by the Lexington Fire Department shows flooding in Lexington, Okla., Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Several people were evacuated from their homes due to flooding
This photo provided by the Lexington Fire Department shows flooding in Lexington, Okla., Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Several people were evacuated from their homes due to flooding.
A least two people drowned when their vehicles were caught in floodwaters in Oklahoma on Wednesday as slow-moving thunderstorms inundated roads across parts of that state and Texas, authorities said, while Pennsylvania residents picked up from a powerful storm that left three people dead.

Heavy rains and severe thunderstorms will mean a heightened risk of flash flooding across the south-central U.S. through early Thursday, the National Weather Service said.

Rains drench parts of Oklahoma and Texas

The storms drenched much of southern Oklahoma and northern Texas, flooding and washing out roads and causing hundreds of flights to be canceled or delayed at major airports.

One man drowned in Oklahoma after his vehicle got swept off a Pottawatomie County highway, said Sheriff Freeland Wood.


Fire

Best of the Web: Israel deploys troops to control massive wildfires near Jerusalem


Comment: Israeli media is telling its citizens this is the work of 'Palestinian terrorists'...


wildfires israel
© Oren Ben Hakoon/ReutersA helicopter dropping water to fight a wildfire near Latrun, Israel, on Wednesday.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered troops to deploy on Wednesday to support firefighters battling rapidly spreading wildfires near Jerusalem, calling the situation a "national emergency".

The country's Magen David Adom (MDA) rescue agency reported hundreds of civilians were currently at risk from the fires.

Sixteen people were being treated for minor injuries from smoke inhalation, the MDA said, adding the alert level had been raised to the highest level.

Police closed the main Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway and evacuated residents along the route as brushfires broke out again in an area ravaged by blazes a week ago.

"We are facing a national emergency, and all available forces must be mobilised to save lives and bring the fires under control," Katz said in a statement from his ministry.


Comment: Shame.


Eagle

Florida man dives into lake to save wounded eagle on April 20: 'This is the symbol of America man'

With great effort, the brave man brings the battered animal to shore and saves its life.
With great effort, the brave man brings the battered animal to shore and saves its life.
A Florida man recently saved the day for an injured bald eagle whose life was in danger. Here's how the daring animal rescue went down!

When 69-year-old Doug Hay and his wife heard something crashing into the lake adjacent to his property, they went to investigate the cause of the noise.

As he told FOX 13, he discovered a badly injured bald eagle in the middle of the water, desperately trying to stay afloat with its wings.

Seeing another eagle circling above, Doug suspects that the two birds were fighting with each other before one of them fell into the water.


Tsunami

Landslide caused by glacial lagoon overflow kills 2 in Peru

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A landslide triggered by the overflow of a glacial lagoon at the foot of Vallunaraju Mountain in Peru's Ancash region claimed two lives on April 28, 2025.

The overflow into the Casca River resulted in a devastating mudslide that injured eight people and displaced hundreds.

This marks the second such incident in the area, with authorities warning of 160 at-risk lagoons in the region.


Tornado2

Waterspout swirls over Padma River in Bangladesh

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A rare tornado-like phenomenon appeared over the Padma River in Daulatpur upazila of Kushtia on Tuesday afternoon, as a dramatic waterspout spiralled into the sky.

The scene lasted only a few minutes before dissipating and the situation returned to normal.

A video of the incident which has gone viral on Facebook shows a waterspout resembling a funnel cloud rising from the river while onlookers startled by the sight are seen running away from the riverbank.

No damage or injuries were reported in connection with the incident.